For Disney fans interested in more than just Disneyland there is but ONE Disney attraction that is FREE. Yes, you read correctly. FREE. Located in Griffith Park near the Disney Studio, The Carolwood Foundation and Society* lovingly presents tours and a step back in time at Walt Disney’s Barn. Once the located in his backyard, the barn was the place where Walt tinkered with and made his trains for his backyard and cultivated his love for locomotives. In fact, the trains in his backyard served has inspiration for the Disneyland Railroad we all know and love. Inside the barn, visitors are treated to actual artifacts of Walts, as well as fantastic memorabilia and objects from early Disneyland. Outside, children can play at a train table and families can sit at shaded picnic tables or purchase reasonably priced Walt- and train-inspired merchandise.

Walt’s barn is open the third Sunday of each month and shares land with the L.A. Live Steamers. The L.A. Live Steamers is a non-profit that was founded in 1956 by train enthusiasts for the purpose of educating people in railroad history and lore and also to further the avocation of live steam, gas-mechanical and electronic railroad technology. Members of the group operate our 7½” gauge model trains for the general public to ride from 11 am – 3 pm every Sunday (weather permitting). except for the Sunday before Memorial Day and the first Sunday in October. The gate is open from 10:45 am to 3 pm. Train rides begin at 11 am. There is a suggested $3 donation per rider and there’s a train that even looks like Thomas. Combine Walt’s barn with a trip to the L.A. Live Steamers and the adjacent Travel Town (an indoor/outdoor museum featuring full size locomotives and train cars and its own train ride for kids) and a family could have a train-filled day appropriate for the adults and kids. Travel Town entry is free and there is a small fee for to ride the train. My biggest piece of advice is to visit the Griffith Park train complex in cooler months and not during the summer. You and your kids will melt!

The Barn is located at approximately 5202 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

Directions:

Heading NORTH onInterstate 5 freeway toward Glendale/Burbank
Take highway 134 WEST
EXIT Forest Lawn Dr., through stop sign.
Turn LEFT at the first signal – Zoo Dr.
Turn LEFT at the stop sign.
Follow road around to the right for about 1/2 mile.
Walt’s Barn in on the RIGHT.

Heading SOUTH onInterstate 5 freeway toward Glendale/Burbank
Take the Western Street exit
Go west to Victory Blvd. and turn LEFT
Turn RIGHT at Zoo Dr. (about 1 mile)
Follow road for about 1/4 mile.
Parking for Walt’s Barn is the first parking lot on the LEFT.

* The Carolwood Foundation and Society will be attending the D23 Expo in the Collectors’ Forum and will present information on Walt Disney’s history.

A couple of times or more each month I load myself up like a pack mule and trek to Disneyland from our home in the San Fernando Valley.As an annual passholder and former Disneyland tour guide, I pride myself on always being prepared.Beyond the obvious backpack items like sunscreen, snacks, juice boxes, bottles, wipes, and diapers, here are my top six (because I just couldn’t settle on a nice round number like five and didn’t want to bore you with ten) Disneyland must-haves from home.

·Costumes – They’re just not for Halloween! I dress my boys in costumes all the time—Mickey, Buzz, etc. The cast members and characters love it and fuss over the kids every time.They are only young once, so enjoy it.I highly recommend a change of clothes.Costumes can be itchy and hot and they may want it them sooner rather than later.

·Baby carrier – An absolute MUST for anyone taking an infant to Disneyland.Baby carriers make it much easier to get in and out of the attractions with your little one. If you have more than one child, you’ll appreciate the fact that you can maneuver in and out of attractions while keeping your hands baby free and on your other kids.I am a fan of the BabyBjörn Baby Carrier Original. I honestly couldn’t do Disneyland with a baby without it. It also makes boarding the parking trams a breeze.

·Blankets – The multipurpose item in your bag.I always carry several receiving blankets and baby blankets.You can use them to keep baby warm, shade baby (or an older child) while in the stroller , sit on them while waiting for the parade, or use them to pad baby during diaper changes.

·Bright ribbon, scarf, or other easy identifier for your stroller.When you exit “it’s a small world,” and see an ocean of strollers, you’ll be so happy to have a bright colored piece of fabric stand out in the crowd. Also, an easily identifiable stroller will be much less attractive to those who are looking to take a stroller for a “permanent joy ride,” as no thief wants to get caught.

·Antibacterial wipes – I like the wipes like Wet Ones because you can wipe hands as well as food surfaces, changing tables, etc.

·Toys for children who get bored waiting for entertainment, food, rides, etc. Bring small toys in your stroller you can use to entertain your children. Make sure they are toys that you can replace (unlike the luvie your child sleeps with at night) and make sure to write your child’s first and last name and phone number on the item so that if it is found Lost and Found can get it back to you. If the toy is large enough, return address labels on anything you bring helps to ensure you get your lost possessions back.

For more extensive lists, check out the packing page of the Babes in Disneyland site by clicking here. Leave me a comment below about your Disneyland backpack must haves.

Aracely is a mother of two and runs the fantastic blog called DaytrippingMom. This So Cal-focused blog provides info on the latest and the greatest day trips for families; it is the quintessential family destination and event guide for Southern California. My love for Disneyland is clear and I thought it would be refreshing to offer Aracely’stake on California Adventure and why it’s her Happiest Place on Earth. Thanks for such a wonderful post, Aracely! Please show Aracely some love by leaving her a comment here on my blog and checking out all of the wonderful resources on her blog.

Disneyland is a classic; it is untouchable. There is no debating that. However, when looking at California Adventure- it’s important to not compare it to its iconic next door neighbor. When you look at DCA as a whole, by itself – it is a really impressive little theme park and one that I just happen to be in love with.Here are the top ten reasons why I think Disney’s California Adventure is a fantastic place for the kiddos and why I am madly in love with DCA.

1.The kiddos can get wet-We love the Irrigation Station and Princess Dot Splash Pad in the Flick’s Fun Fair Area. It is the perfect spot on a hot spring/summer day.

2.I hate waiting in line. I mean really who does?? I love that the attractions in Flick’s Fun Fair have minimal waiting lines and are a big hit with my kiddos. They love every single ride – especially Flick’s Fun Flyers.

4.Who loves Free stuff? I do- I do!! I love that you can get a fresh warm tortilla from the Mission Tortilla Factory tour and a sourdough taste from Boudin Bakery.My kids love the fresh tortillas and I’m not going to lie, so do I. Here’s a little tip- on your birthday pick up a dozen free tortillas from the Mission Tortilla Factory. Just show them your birthday pin and you are set!

5.They have an amazing baby center. Not as big as Disneyland’s but still great.

6.DCA is home to Disney’s Electrical Parade. Love it. It’s new and improved and a must see!!

7.They are home to three amazing shows that your kiddos will love-MuppetVison 3D, It’s tough to be a bug and Aladdin.

8.In my opinion, DCA is home to one of the BEST(if not the best!!) attractions in the Disneyland Resort, Toy Story Mania.

9.They have a pretty spiffy Ferris Wheel. You can either pick a gondola that moves or is stationary.

10.I love that I can park in the Downtown Disney lot ( free for 3 hours)- walk over to the DCA entrance at the Grand Californian Hotel in Downtown Disney(next to Sephora) , spend a couple of hours there and then I don’t have to deal with taking a tram back to the parking lot. I love love that I can do this, especially on a crowded day.

DCA is in the middle of a major expansion – which includes a new water show, a Little Mermaid Ride and sure to be a big hit with my son- A thrill ride- featuring the characters from CARS!! The expansion should be complete by 2012.

There are so many other things I love about DCA but I tried to limit myself to my favorite 10. Next time that you are heading over to the Disneyland Resort make sure to show DCA some love ! It deserves it!

In light of my posting yesterday, I thought that it was only fitting that I post tips on how to save money at the Disneyland Resort. Some of these I’ve posted before and others I grabbed from my site.

Here are my top 5 ways to save some green at the Disneyland Resort:

1. Don’t buy bottled water

Bring your own water bottle and refill it throughout the resort from the filtered water spigots. The city of Anaheim has award-winning water and considering the fact that the resort exclusively sells Aquafina watered (which is filtered water from a municipal source!), you may as well save the $3 per bottle. Click here for more info on water at Disneyland. (Including a list of locations inside Disneyland.)

2. Bring lunch and/or dinner from home

Food is a very expensive part of any Disneyland visit. While large ice chests are not allowed inside of Disneyland (there is a clean picnic area outside of the park with lockers large enough for ice chests and shaded tables), small coolers are. While it is not a practice adored by Disneyland, outside food is permitted inside of the Disneyland Resort. We bring sandwiches, fruit, juices, snacks, and the like and rarely have to purchase food. When you load up, just keep in mind that glass containers are not permitted inside the resort. For more dining tips, click here.

3. Consider the least expensive souvenirs

The Disneyland Resort has an amazing selection of souvenirs and merchandise throughout the park. One of the cheapest souvenirs is the pressed penny. Pressed penny machines are found throughout the parks and cost only 51 cents. Arrive at the resort with lots of quarters and pennies, and you will certainly have fun hunting for penny machines throughout the resort. Click here for more information on pressed pennies at the resort.

Other inexpensive souvenirs include the red Mickey Mouse head sucker that sells at the Newsstand (by the park exit) and other various locations for 48 cents and postcards, which can be found throughout the park.

If you want more substantial merchandise for souvenirs, but want to save some serious dough, consider visiting the Disney Character Warehouse where the Disneyland Resort sends all of its clearance merchandise. The outlet is located at 243 Orangefair Mall, Fullerton, CA 92832. The phone number is (714) 870-9363. The outlet is less than 4 miles from Disneyland (about 10 minutes by car) and is open 9-9 Monday through Saturday and 9-8 on Sunday.

4. Get the Disney Visa

The Disney Visa offers a host of discounts throughout the year for shopping online, theater experiences and travel packages. It also offers a 10% discount on some merchandise purchases at the Disneyland Resort and FREE stroller rentals (up to 2 strollers per day). (This changed some time in July or August 2009. The credit card now gets you 50% off of stroller rental. I’m probably going to cancel my Disney Visa and get something with a better cash back/points model. Without the free stroller rental, it’s just no longer worth it.)

5. Market House Coffee (NO LONGER OFFERED)

If you are a coffee drinker and can’t make it though the day without several cups of Joe, consider purchasing your coffee at the Market House on Main Street (east side of the street). They don’t sell fancy coffee drinks, just good old java. If you save your receipt, you can return there throughout the day for more coffee…for free.

On June 14, 1959, Disneyland premiered its first roller coaster-style “thrill ride,” the Matterhorn Bobsleds, during a live television special. Since it opened, the 147-foot 1/100th scale replica of the famous Swiss peak, has carried more than 258 million guests down its icy slopes.

Before construction of the Matterhorn began at Disneyland, the site was known as Holiday Hill and served to separate Fantasyland from Tomorrowland. Among Disneyland regulars in the 1950s, Holiday Hill was also known as a nighttime hangout for amorous couples.

Matterhorn Bobsleds’ construction was a great feat back in 1959. It was the first roller coaster in the world to employ a tubular steel track and an electronic dispatch system that enabled more than one car at a time to be on the track. Although there are no loops in the Matterhorn tracks, the tubular steel track design pioneered by the attraction made it possible to build the first roller coasters with loops and corkscrews. Moreover, the Matterhorn was built from hundreds of full-size wooden shapes, no two alike, which were assembled around a steel framework to create the mountain’s shape, then covered with cement. Disneyland horticulturists were also challenged to create an artificial “timberline.” To this day, members of the Disneyland Resort horticulture team must use cranes to maintain the mountain’s landscaping.

Little known Matterhorn facts:

The Matterhorn was inspired by a little-remembered live-action Disney adventure film, “Third Man on the Mountain,” which starred James MacArthur and Michael Rennie as mountaineers. The movie was filmed in Switzerland, on and around the real Matterhorn.

The Matterhorn gained a new occupant in 1978 when the yeti/abominable snowman took up residence. This was also the year of significant enhancements to the Matterhorn interior, including new caverns and ice crystals.

Guests who look quickly while whizzing through the Matterhorn caverns may spot mountaineering supplies and other evidence of the “Wells Expedition.” These scenic details are a tribute to the late Frank Wells, who was president and Chief Operating Officer of the Walt Disney Company from 1984 until his death in 1994. Wells was an experienced mountain climber and skier.

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About Babes In Disneyland

Babes In Disneyland combines the best of everything the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney Company has to offer families with young children and Disney fans alike, in addition to providing reviews and information on the latest travel products, Southern California destinations and lodging options and much more for families.